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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24810439">Here For You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/elliseleven'>elliseleven (orphan_account)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NoStranger (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Knives</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:54:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,697</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24810439</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/elliseleven</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There was no doubt in Pepper’s mind that she loved Adam. Her best friend and dad were getting on her nerves telling her that he was bad news, but it turned out that they were right. Fortunately, when things started to escalate, she could count on them to be there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adam Verdu/Pepper June, Noel Saviore &amp; Tim June, Pepper June &amp; Tim June, Pepper June/Noel Saviore</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Alternative title: Noel and Pepper are gay for each other but Adam won't leave them the fuck alone<br/>Another title: I project my hatred for Adam through Noel and Tim</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Pepper smiled as another text popped up on her phone from her best friend, Noel. With all the turmoil she was going through, Pepper could always count on her to be there.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Found another Tumblr post that reminded me of you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She clicked the link which showed a picture of a card that read: “This card entitles the bearer to be excused from one socially awkward situation of their choosing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed aloud. That sounded a lot like her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This is so me, Noel. I’ll reblog that in a sec.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No prob, Pep. We should meet up! I’ll be back in New York soon.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been just less than a week since Noel had left for Las Vegas, but Pepper found herself missing her desperately. Apart from her dad and grandparents, she didn’t have many people to talk to around here. There was also Adam, of course. She knew he was bad news, but she always found herself going back to him. What could she say? She was still very much in love with him. But as Noel had told her, being in love shouldn’t hurt as much as it did with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speaking of the Devil, a text soon came through from Adam, as if he was listening in. Knowing him, it wouldn’t be a surprise. It made chills run down Pepper’s spine. She didn’t even give herself time to read the message before she swiped it away. He sent so many messages to her throughout the day, and it was overwhelming. So many of them talked about his ‘plans’ for his ‘novel’. Pepper couldn’t believe he still referred to his stalking habits as writing. Maybe he saw it as a joke, but Pepper didn’t find it very funny. It was sick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough, Pepper and Tim were waiting for Noel at the airport. She waved excitedly as she walked down the ramp towards the two. Pepper and Noel hugged each other tight, and they all made their way through the airport to Tim’s car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How was Las Vegas, Noel?” Tim asked, glancing in the rearview mirror at the two girls as he drove.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awesome,” she grinned. “We all had great fun. I miss it already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper knew Noel had friends over there she met with occasionally. She was fine with that, of course, but she was always excited to see her come home. There were times where she wished she could have Noel all to herself. “But you’re happy to be back, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel gave a shrill laugh, as if Pepper had made the funniest joke. “Obviously! I missed you two like crazy! I talked about you constantly, you know. They were probably sick of me by the end of the trip.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper felt her face grow hot and turned to look out the window. She couldn’t hide her smile though. “I bet they hate me.” Self deprecation had always been her go-to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No one could ever hate you,” Noel beamed. “They all love you, not gonna lie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper blushed furiously. “They don’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She scoffed. “You never believe me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just give her time,” Tim smiled. “She’ll come around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know she will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel had her own place with room-mates, but more often than not, she chose to stay with the Junes. Her excuse was that their place was nicer than hers, but she just couldn’t keep herself away from Pepper. She knew her and Adam were a thing much to her continued disappointment (and not just because that Adam was a certified asshole in many ways) but, as time went on, her feelings became stronger. Noel didn’t know how much longer she could keep it a secret.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both of them had been friends for as long as they could remember, so they were very comfortable around each other. They were very affectionate. They shared Pepper’s bed to talk and sleep, if Noel stayed over. It was a tight fit, but they made it work. They hugged all the time, and they held hands but rarely in public.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper’s head was resting on Noel’s shoulder as the three of them watched TV. This was normal behavior, but Pepper found her heart racing. It was hard to concentrate on the screen in front of her, so she concentrated on Noel’s perfume. It smelt nice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel also couldn’t concentrate. She knew her feelings very well, but it still startled her sometimes. She hated that her heart fluttered when Pepper so much as smiled at her, but she couldn’t help it. Feelings weren’t weakness, she knew, so why did her confidence evaporate whenever Pepper got close to her? She became a blubbering mess, and she didn’t know how to fix it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim was blissfully unaware of both girls’ emotional turmoil, of course. He stood up and stretched as commercials began to play. He was the only one that had noticed the show had taken a break. “Anyone want a drink?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper sat up straight, to the disappointment of her friend. “I’m all right. Do you want anything, Noel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All Noel wanted was to stare into Pepper’s eyes forever. “Uh… er… I’m fine? Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right.” He was a little surprised at Noel struggling with her words. It wasn’t like her at all. But he decided not to question it and left the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper also found it odd. Before she could ask Noel if she was okay, her phone went off. She already knew who it was before she opened the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel had looked over Pepper’s shoulder. She rolled her eyes and groaned. “What does that little fucker want now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper raised her eyebrows at her. She didn’t like Noel talking about Adam like that. “Don’t say that. He’s not all bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel tried her hardest to bite her tongue, at least for now. “Whatever. What does he want?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s found new subjects, I guess. Still no idea why he wants to know about them. When I ask why, he tells me it’s a secret.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit,” Noel scoffed. “He’s full of shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, he’s not!” She didn’t know why she was so angry, but she just wouldn’t stand aside when Noel insulted him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pepper, you don’t know what you’re talking about! He’s a fucking abuser!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A scream of frustration filled the room and Pepper stormed out. She was sick of Noel calling him that. Adam treated her fine, and he’s never hit her. Yes, that may be because they’ve never met in person, but that doesn’t matter. She was sure he would never lay a hand on her regardless. She wished Noel had just kept her mouth shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim watched her go down the hallway and up the stairs. Pepper was rarely this angry, so it was a shock to him. He heard the conversation from the kitchen, however, so he didn’t need anything explaining.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She still loves that Adam, I take it.” Tim joined Noel in the living room with his own cup of coffee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t even talk to me about that bastard,” Noel let out an exasperated sigh. Tim was used to Noel’s swearing. She used a lot of choice words for Pepper’s boyfriend, and he never tried to stop her. “I wish he would just leave her alone!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim nodded. “Yeah. I know it’s not as easy as her leaving him though. He’s dangerous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s fucking scary is what he is. But I’ll protect her, you watch me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will too. If he ever comes to our house, I’ll punch his lights out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel raised her eyebrows. She had known Pepper’s dad for a long time, and she had never heard him be violent. But she could agree with this take. “Oh, you’ll have to stop me from killing him with my bare hands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim chuckled. “Believe me, I won’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the TV still being on, they both heard Pepper crying upstairs. They sat there awkwardly for a moment until Tim spoke up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should go check on her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel frowned. “Me? You’re her dad. I’m sure she’d rather that you were there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled. “Probably, but I think she’d listen to you more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel didn’t quite understand, but she trusted him to know best. “Alright. I’ll go talk to her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once she was at Pepper’s door, she tentatively knocked. She was prepared for Pepper to shout at her again, but there was no reply. She cracked the door open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pepper? It’s me. Do you want to talk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper’s voice was barely audible, but Noel thought she had heard a yes, so she went in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper nodded. She was on the floor with a few scrunched up tissues in front of her. Noel couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry I yelled at you,” Pepper said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel smiled at her and sat down beside her. “It’s alright. I’m sorry for arguing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head. “But you’re right. Adam isn’t as nice as I always thought he was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel was surprised that she had accepted this so quickly, but she was glad. “I’m glad you finally caught up with the rest of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper laughed which quickly turned into tears again. Noel hugged her and Pepper cried into Noel’s shirt. It had taken her so long to realise how Adam really was that it was too much for her to take in at that moment. He’d been lying to her this whole time. She wondered if </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>he had told her was true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hugged Noel tighter. Whenever they hugged like this, Pepper felt safe. She could forget abou the rest of the world for just a minute, even Adam if she tried hard enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about I texted him as you? Tell him to fuck himself?” Noel asked. She tried to keep her voice level through this, hoping that Pepper wouldn’t take offence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To her surprise, she laughed. Her laugh was the prettiest thing in the whole world. “I mean, sure. Maybe use different words. He’ll know it wasn’t me if I said that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll whip something up. But not now. You need to rest. You’ve been through a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper got up and made her way towards her bed and almost collapsed onto it. She suddenly felt exhausted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, do you want me to leave or-?” Despite knowing that they were both on good terms now, Noel still felt like Pepper might still want some space from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not. Get over here,” she said with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trying not to look too pleased with her answer, Noel walked over to Pepper and lay down beside her. Spooning was a regular activity between them and strictly platonic. The funny thing was that both of them felt different about it now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry about yelling at you earlier,” Pepper mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t even apologize. I understand why you got angry.” Without even thinking, Noel pressed her lips to the top of Pepper’s head. It just felt like the right moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper froze. She wasn’t expecting that, but she quickly found that she liked it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They lay there for a long time. The sun was beginning to set behind the house and once it got dark, Noel reluctantly jumped up to turn on the light. She hadn’t forgotten about her plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I borrow your phone, Pep?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She still wasn’t sure about Noel’s plan, but she knew that she wouldn’t have the courage to do it herself. As much as she loved Adam, she couldn’t follow along with his plans any longer. “Yep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper threw her phone from the bed and Noel caught it with ease. She began to text with lightning speed, and she was done before Pepper could even say anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want me to read it aloud?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper was impressed. “Sure. I don’t want you cussing him out though. He’ll probably kill me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel laughed nervously. If she was honest, she had branded him as ‘possible murderer’ as soon as Pepper had introduced him to her. She wouldn’t dare admit that to Pepper though. “All right. Dear fuckwit-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Noel!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She giggled. “I’m kidding, but I wish I could write that.” With no reaction from Pepper, she decided to play it serious. She cleared her throat. “Fine. Adam, I understand how much this project means to you, but I simply can’t go through with it. I’m way too uncomfortable, and I can’t continue to support you here. I can’t do this anymore. Then just your name at the end.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel waited for Pepper’s opinion. She shrugged. “It’s fine. It’s not what I would’ve written, but it’ll do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would’ve said you were sorry, so I made sure I left that out. There is </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be sorry for, I promise you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” This didn’t seem real to her. She should be crying now. She was turning down the person she loved. But she felt nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll send it, okay?” Noel looked up to her. She received a thumbs up and sent the message. She just hoped it wouldn’t push him over the edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Over the next few days, a flurry of messages came through to Pepper’s phone. They were all from Adam. It scared her. He sounded like he was going crazy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel had moved back to her place but picked her phone up straight away when Pepper called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s up, Pep? Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper winced, hearing the worry in her friend’s voice. She felt guilty involving her in this too. She had also talked to her dad about it, but it wasn’t the same. She needed her best friend. “Adam keeps texting me. He’s furious. I’m scared. What if he comes over? He told me he knows where I live.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit. I’ll be right over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Pepper could protest, Noel hung up and told her three roommates what was going on. She didn’t go into details - she knew that Pepper wouldn’t want anyone else knowing about her situation - but they all understood. They knew how close the two of them were. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay as long as you need,” one girl said. “We’ll hold down the fort while you’re gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, babes,” Noel grinned. “Love you all!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you too!” Her friends chorused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled as she closed the door. She was lucky to have them. Her smile quickly faded as she remembered the gravity of what Pepper was going through. She couldn’t leave her alone. She had her dad, but he had to go to work. He wouldn’t be there all the time to protect her. She bet that Adam knew this, and probably the times when he was working or he could at least make an educated guess. That boy was too smart for his own good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper flinched as there was a knock on the door. She knew that it was most likely Noel, but what if it wasn’t? She didn’t want to face him alone. Out of her bedroom window, she saw Noel’s car and the owner standing at the door. Relief washed over her, and she bounded down the stairs to greet her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Has he been?” Her eyes were wide. It looked like Noel was just as scared as Pepper was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank Jesus.” Tears spilled over, and she wiped them away quickly, hoping her friend didn’t see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper did see and quickly took her hand and led her in. She closed the door and put the chain and bolts across. Noel watched her while she did this, and she felt her heart sink. Usually, the two of them don’t bother to bolt the door in the daytime. She hated to see Pepper in this way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hadn’t been able to hold back her tears this time. “Baby, what has he done to you?” She could barely get her words out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, Pepper had to be the one to comfort Noel. Pepper hugged her tight, and it turned out that this helped. Noel distracted her from her own feelings of paranoia. She felt good for making someone else feel better when she felt like a burden herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel sniffed. “I’m sorry. This isn’t about me, is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper giggled softly. “You’re probably more worried for me than I am. It’s totally okay to cry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel laughed in return. “I guess so. You’re a good person, Pepper. Don’t forget about that. No matter what he tells you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Warmth filled her chest, and Pepper almost began to cry. She had almost forgotten what it was like to feel loved. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel wasn’t sure how long she had planned to stay with Pepper, but she didn’t dare leave her on her own. She stayed with her as much as she could, but when she absolutely had to leave, Tim stepped in for her. His job as an engineer meant he couldn’t work from home. But he could afford an extended lunch break or a day off work. He would say it was a family emergency, and his boss would understand completely. She had kids of her own, so why wouldn’t she?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Tim and Noel were in constant states of panic over the next month. Pepper couldn’t stand it. She felt trapped, like she couldn’t go anywhere on her own. She had barely left the house since that text. It was also hard to let go of the overwhelming guilt she felt from having her dad and friend by her side constantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t like being looked after so much, especially since she was an adult now. She wanted to do her own thing without chaperones. Help was obviously needed here, she knew, but it was still frustrating for her. Her Tumblr quickly became her space to vent. The posts only stayed up for a few hours before she deleted them again, since she didn’t want </span>
  <em>
    <span>him </span>
  </em>
  <span>to find them, but she still got support in the short times they were up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Random strangers commenting on her posts was hard to take lightly, it turned out. It reminded her too much of when she used to trust Adam. He used to say the sweetest things to her, and she believed them. From a rational perspective she could see how not everyone was like him, but it was hard to believe that right now. It was hard to trust people that she had never met.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper laughed to herself. That sounded obvious, but she used to trust anyone who was nice to her. It didn’t matter if she knew nothing about them, she still trusted them as if they were already her friend. But clearly, this mindset was dangerous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t want anyone else to go through what she had gone through. So that’s why, one night, she made another Tumblr post titled ‘Abuse: My Story’. There were a lot of second thoughts and rewrites, but she knew she had to do it. She just hoped that he wouldn’t find it. This post wouldn’t be deleted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day after posting, she woke up with no texts from Adam. Pepper breathed a sigh of relief. It was a good sign. Maybe he wouldn’t see it after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel had stayed overnight as Tim had to go to work early that morning. It was as if they were both taking shifts being on lookout.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Dad,” Pepper said to Tim as she sat on the stairs, facing him. “If I’d never trusted him, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s really not your fault, Pepper.” Tim stood up after lacing his shoes. He looked up into his daughter’s eyes. She looked so tired. He wanted to cry. She didn’t deserve any of this. “This is all </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>fault. I swear if I ever see him on the street-” He clenched his fist. “He’ll fucking get it is what I’m saying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The familiar urge to defend Adam appeared again, but Pepper swallowed it. She knew what they would say. She was tired of hearing the same things. “Please stay safe, Dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim gave a start. He even laughed. “Me? What’s he gonna do? Kill me? I’d like to see him try.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just… be careful, okay?” Pepper couldn’t explain why, but she could feel it. Something terrible was going to happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right. I’ll be careful,” he ruffled her hair. “Anyway, gotta go. Love you, kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you, Dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as the door closed, Pepper’s phone went crazy. At least ten messages were sent to her phone in the span of a minute. When she tried her hardest to ignore it, he started calling her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel could hear the erratic ringing from the living room and rolled her eyes. She was, understandably, tired of Adam’s shit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She strode into the hallway. “Oh, fuck that.” And before Pepper could stop her, she took her phone and answered him. “What the fuck are you doing calling my girl?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel using nicknames like these was normal for her, but it didn’t stop Pepper from flushing red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you?” Adam’s voice came through on speaker. Pepper was ashamed to discover that it still had the same effect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Noel Saviore. Pleasure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no. It’s all mine.” His charm didn’t quite work when his voice shook with anger. “Where is Pepper? I want to speak to her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper stared wide-eyed at Noel. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not here. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Noel didn’t even have to look to know she needed to lie. “She’s out. Why does it matter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t you hear? I said I wanted to talk to her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>hear? You can’t. She’s not here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re lying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel looked like she was ready to kill him. “I’m not. Stop fucking calling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. I could pay a visit, if you prefer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fear Pepper felt at that moment was suffocating. Noel noticed and crouched down to hold her hand. Pepper felt calmer instantly. “If you come here, I will break your legs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not if I get you first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to see you try, asshole.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See you soon, Noel.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The line went dead, and the two girls didn’t say anything for a long time. Adam might be here any minute, and they had no idea what he was going to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Noel…” Pepper couldn’t finish her sentence. She didn’t want to say out loud what she was thinking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It appeared that Noel could read her mind. “He might hurt me. He might try and hurt you, but I promise I will </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>let that happen, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper nodded. She trusted her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. Do you have knives?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded again. “We have a lot of sharp ones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perfect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Having someone else in the house with her helped Pepper, if only a little. She didn’t want to put Noel in danger, but she knew she couldn’t be alone with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They moved into the kitchen, partly to be away from the front door and also to be near a knife. Pepper hoped it wouldn’t have to come to that, but it was better to be prepared. Neither of them knew how long they waited, but it felt like an eternity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, they both heard a knock at the door.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Both of them almost jumped out of their skin. They had stayed completely silent in the kitchen, waiting for Adam to arrive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel knew she had to be the one to talk to him first. “You stay here,” she said to Pepper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be careful, yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This would have been the moment where the two would have shared a kiss, but neither of them had the courage to do it. Noel almost laughed. She had the courage to insult Adam to his face, but not to kiss Pepper?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook the thought out of her mind. This wasn’t the time. She walked to the door with purpose and opened it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam Verdu. How lovely to put a face to the name.” She had seen pictures of him, but she decided not to let him know. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Likewise,” he snarled. “Is Pepper here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. As I said before, if you had been listening, she is out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With her dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel rolled her eyes. “You’re a nosy bitch, aren’t you? Why does it matter why she’s out? She’s out and that’s it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam raised an eyebrow. He didn’t believe her for a second. His suspicions were confirmed when he heard a noise come from the kitchen. It was slight, but he heard. “That was Pepper. Are you gonna move so I can get in or am I gonna have to make you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Noel didn’t have an answer, Adam pushed her aside to get through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What a gentleman,” Noel said loudly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck off,” Adam muttered. His face split into a smile as he saw Pepper. It wasn’t entirely genuine, but he was happy to see her. Pepper, on the other hand, was terrified. She tried not to let it show.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pepper. I assume you didn’t get any of my messages.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head, shrinking back into the corner of the room. Noel wished she could help, but she didn't know what would happen if she tried to get in between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, come on. I don’t bite.” He walked towards her with his arms wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper didn’t move. She did not want a hug from him. Not one bit. But she was scared of what would happen if she said no.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel took a few steps closer just in case. She could tell Pepper did not want him to hug her, but she didn’t want to make him angry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them hugged. Adam seemed happy with that. Noel felt sick as she saw him smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was doing some reading earlier.” Adam spoke as if Pepper was the only one in the room. It was as if Noel didn’t even exist. “It was on your Tumblr page, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper almost stopped breathing. He had read it. She had been stupid to even think it would somehow go under his radar. Noel took another step closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled as Pepper didn’t say anything. Clearly, he was on the right track. “You thought I was abusing you, is that right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper, again, said nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam raised an eyebrow. “It’s a yes or no question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t need to answer to you.” Noel’s voice was quiet, but it was strong. Pepper was immensely grateful for her input.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam whirled around on his heel to face her. “Oh, are you still here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel snarled. “Of course, I am. Why would I ever leave her alone with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled. It worried both girls how calm he was about this. They wondered when he was going to blow. “So you think I’m an abuser now too? Wow, the imagination you two have. It’s quite impressive, I have to say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t twist our words.” Noel was trying her best to keep her voice level. “You have abused Pepper, therefore you are an abuser. End of story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have proof?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel rolled her eyes. “The only person we have to present proof to is the police.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a flicker in his eyes. His anger was beginning to show. “You wouldn’t dare.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Noel’s turn to laugh. “Oh, but we would.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Adam had taken his eyes off her, Pepper reached over to the knife block to pull out a fairly small but sharp knife. She didn’t plan on hurting him, but she wanted to protect herself. Noel may also need protecting, and Pepper knew she wouldn’t sit by and do nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper couldn’t see Adam’s face, but she could tell he was getting angry. The calm was beginning to fade. He was clearly scared that Noel would call the police so he was backing her into a corner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Her voice was trembling so she couldn’t speak in a full sentence, but a shout was better than nothing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam turned to her in surprise. He hadn’t predicted she would try and stop him from doing anything. Worry started to trickle in once he saw the knife in her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite his slight anxiety, he tried to laugh it off. “And what do you think you’re doing with that, Pepper?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gulped. “Uh, um…” Once she had been asked that question, she wondered if she would have the strength to use it at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirked. “I thought so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel watched him glance at the counter next to him. There was a knife on the draining board, probably from lunch. Before either of the women could react, Adam picked up the knife and made his way to the opposite side of the room. He wanted to ensure that he had both of them in his sight, just in case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper’s hands started to shake, but she kept her grip on the knife. She might have to use it after all. Noel stood strong with both hands balled into fists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, aren’t you going to say anything? You still haven’t explained why you’ve been ignoring me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel grimaced at how pathetic he sounded. He knew why she was ignoring her, but he just didn’t want to admit it to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t it obvious?” Noel finally spoke, trying to keep her voice level.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam shook his head with a frown. “No, it isn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes. Surely, he was smart enough to figure it out on his own. “You’ve been harassing her, and you don’t shut up about that stupid project of yours. She told you she doesn’t want to do it anymore, and yet you still keep going on about it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hearing it said so plainly was a bit of a shock to him. But he quickly composed himself. “If it was that easy to explain, why didn’t Pepper tell me herself? She’s her own person, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel scoffed. “As if you’d know anything about that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Adam and Noel continued to argue, Pepper felt tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. She tried her hardest to keep them back, but she couldn’t stop them. She just wanted Adam to leave her alone. Why was he still here?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel didn’t take her eyes off Adam, but she heard Pepper’s breathing. She could tell she was crying or at least trying not to. Without thinking about it, Noel took hold of Pepper’s free hand. It seemed to help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam, of course, witnessed this. Despite him knowing that girls held hands all the time as friends, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. Pepper had never held his hand before. So why did Noel get to?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A thought struck him. What if they were… seeing each other? Was Pepper was cheating on him? It had never occurred to him that she would be that type of person. Regardless of if this was true or not, once he had thought this, he couldn’t stop. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt the grip on the knife getting tighter and tighter until his knuckles turned white. Pepper suddenly yanked her hand away, terrified that Adam would do something to them. Noel felt the same, but also slightly disappointed. She wished that Adam would just go away. Why couldn’t he let this go? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper was terrified, but she managed to speak. “Adam-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up!” He had covered his face with both hands, still holding the knife. Despite everything that had happened, Pepper was worried that he might cut himself. Noel, however, couldn’t care less. “Just shut up, both of you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel was confused. She hadn’t spoken for a while. She took Pepper’s hand again to get her attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper took her eyes off Adam and turned to Noel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We need to get out of here. What if he tries something?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What? And leave him when he's clearly going through something?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel's instinct was to laugh it off, but she didn't, not wanting to offend Pepper. "He's clearly insane-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can still hear you. I'm not deaf." Adam was still holding his forehead, but he wasn't going to let them talk about him like he wasn't there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," Pepper muttered. "If you put down your knife, I'll put down mine. Deal?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pepper!" Noel tried to take the knife from her, but Pepper kept it out of reach. In the end, she gave up. Maybe she should trust Pepper to make her own decisions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam was taken aback by how sincere she sounded. Did she really trust him that much? He didn’t even trust himself half the time. He smiled. That had been a wrong decision on her part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Pepper.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper slowly moved to set the knife on the sink, and Adam steadied himself. He knew that Noel would try to fight him, so he had to prepare himself for that. But he never got the chance to even get near them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All three of them froze in place as they heard the front door open. Noel suddenly remembered that she hadn’t locked the door when Adam barged in. </span>
  <em>
    <span>At least we’re prepared if a real murder comes in, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought, trying her hardest not to laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Which one of you girls left the door unlocked?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper breathed a sigh of relief. It was only her dad. Noel, however, braced herself. She knew that once he saw Adam, shit would go down. And she was correct.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim stopped in his tracks, in the middle of taking his coat off in the hallway. The only person he could see from that angle was Adam holding a knife. The two men stared at each other for what felt like forever, then Tim began to stride forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck are you doing in </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>house?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam was speechless. He momentarily forgot that only a few hours ago, he was planning on murdering him. Tim towered over him, and he felt weak in comparison. It wasn’t a great feeling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cat got your tongue, son?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- Mr. June-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, save that bullshit. What were you gonna do with that knife, huh? Planning on stabbing my girl with that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He wasn’t, Dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim spun around to face his daughter. “Are you sure about that, Pepper? You know he’s lied to you before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper opened her mouth to retort and then closed it again. He was right. Adam was most likely lying to her. A shudder ran down her spine as she imagined what could’ve happened if her dad hadn’t come home right at that moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hands began to shake and she put down the knife. She felt sick just looking at it. Noel instinctively hugged her and Pepper allowed herself to let her guard down. Tim was here now to deal with things. She just hoped he wouldn’t hurt Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing everything that he had set up come undone made Adam angry. He had been in control this whole time, and Tim just ruined all that in two seconds. Slowly, words came back to him, and none of them were nice ones. He’d had enough of this guy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look here, Tim or whoever the fuck you are, but you’re not the boss here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim raised his eyebrow. “Oh, I think I am, son. At least until you’re out of my sight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam scowled. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If this guy calls me son one more time, I’m gonna stab him. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He laughed. Tim thought he was the one in control, but he was the one with the weapon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re thinking about doing anything, I’d rethink if I were you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what if I don’t?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Adam could process what was going on, Tim grabbed Adam’s knife from his hand and threw it to the floor. Thankfully, the knife landed nowhere near the two women, but Pepper still jumped out of her skin when it happened. She had been tense through this whole situation, even before Adam had come through the door. Noel quickly put an arm around her in hopes of comforting her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim pulled out his phone, and Adam stared at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim didn’t answer him until the phone was ringing. “What does it look like? I’m calling the cops.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam feigned confusion. “But I wasn’t doing anything to her! Right, Pepper?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper just stared at him. She didn’t know what to say. Her instinct was to lie for him, but she knew that Tim would see past it. Yet, if she told the truth, what would Adam do? She didn’t want to risk that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before she could make up her mind, Tim smirked at Adam then turned to Pepper. “You don’t have to answer to him anymore, Pepper. It’s okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam looked to him in disgust while Pepper broke down, crying. Noel pulled her into a hug again and glared at Adam. Pepper didn’t notice this at all. The relief she found from what her dad said was almost overwhelming. Maybe this would all finally end, and she could be free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam looked to the floor, ready to lunge for the knife, but it was gone. Noel smirked at him, having predicted exactly this. The knife was now in the sink with the one Pepper had been holding. He knew that he would have to get past Noel to get it. Sure, he probably could, but Tim was there too. Adam sighed. There was no point in fighting back anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His legs suddenly couldn’t hold him up, and Adam sunk to the floor. His plan was ruined. Noel and Tim were still alive, protecting Pepper. As if she needed protecting! He hadn’t even hurt her! Regardless, they were onto him now, and the police would get here soon. Adam had considered taking Tim’s phone from him but, seeing how much he towered over him in person, he knew he wouldn’t be able to do anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam was usually the kind of person who would commit 100% to a cause, even if it looked impossible at first. But for some reason, he had run out of energy. There was no point anymore. He might as well have died right there on the floor. It wasn’t like anyone would miss him, especially them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one moved towards Adam to help him. Noel, however, kept a good eye on him while she hugged Pepper. She wasn’t going to let him get anywhere near her now. She smiled. It looked like he had given up. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Took him long enough, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The police knocked on the door 15 minutes later. Tim had told the police that Adam was dangerous on the call, and the officers had picked up on that loud and clear. They came in with their guns raised, but Tim stepped into the doorway to the kitchen. Now that Adam was defenceless, he knew that there was no need for guns here. Knowing the police, Tim didn’t want any deaths today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, officers. He has calmed down now. You can take him away without the guns, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After some convincing, the officers nodded and holstered their pistols one by one. Tim understood that they only listened to him because he was a white man, but he knew he had to descalate the situation before they saw Adam. If he had seen them come in all guns blazing, who knows what would’ve happened?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They told Adam to stand, put handcuffs on him, and then took him out of the door. Tim made sure Adam got into the police car safely until he closed the door. He almost felt sorry for the kid. His eyes had looked devoid of life as he had passed by, and he walked as if he knew his life was over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Sure, he joked about it to Noel, but he didn’t want Adam dead or anything, really. He was just glad he was gone. He couldn’t hurt Pepper anymore, and that was what mattered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re gone now, baby,” Noel mumbled in Pepper’s ear as she heard the door close. Pepper finally let go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim came in and smiled at the girls. Even Pepper could tell that he looked exhausted. “I’ll be upstairs if you need me,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt bad about leaving the two of them alone, but after this whole ordeal, he really needed a nap. He knew, though, that at the slightest noise, he would be awake and ready to protect them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Tim had gone, Pepper sunk to the floor just as Adam had done. She was just as exhausted as he had been, if not more. She’d had to deal with his abuse for six months, and he’d only felt the weight of his actions half an hour ago. She shook her head. She didn’t want to think about him anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel joined her on the floor and placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s over now. You’ll be okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper smiled, but she wasn’t as happy as she wanted to be. “He probably won’t even get jail time. The court will think I’m just doing it for attention or something. Plus, white men get away with so much, it’s insane.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel chuckled. She had been thinking about that too, but she hadn’t wanted to ruin the moment. “Yeah, I know. I’m hoping he will learn something from this though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper raised an eyebrow at Noel. “When did you get so optimistic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel shrugged. “I don’t know. I just don’t want you to be paranoid anymore over him. It’s totally normal to be, but it… it hurts me to see you like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Pepper knew Noel cared about her a lot, but for some reason, she guessed there might be more to this. It was the way Noel had looked at her when she said that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was rare for Noel to be lost for words, and Pepper knew that. She smirked. “Come on, you can tell me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel muttered something and faked a cough. Pepper laughed. Clearly, it was embarrassing which was more of a reason for her to want to know what it was. She kept pestering her friend until she gave in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m in love with you, okay?! Geez, you’re really stubborn, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, it was Pepper who was lost for words. Did Noel really say what she thought she said?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hadn’t realised she had been staring again until Noel clicked her fingers in front of her eyes. “Pepper? You in there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” she blinked then smiled, her cheeks turning pink. “Yeah, sorry. I… don’t know what to say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel knew that it would be wishful thinking for Pepper to answer her, especially after all of this. “You don’t have to say anything now. I’ve just been keeping this a secret for a long time. I kinda couldn’t keep it in any longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper nodded. “I get it. I honestly felt the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel stared, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Seriously?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. It’s been very confusing since, you know, I still love Adam. But… it’s still there. I can’t exactly ignore it forever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them said anything for a long while. It was a bit too much for them both to process after everything that had happened. But at least there was nothing to hide anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Pepper who spoke first. “I just don’t know if I could jump into a new relationship this quickly or anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel was expecting that, but it still hurt a little to hear. It didn’t matter though. She had known from the start that this wouldn’t be an easy topic. “Yeah. I know. You can take your time. Honestly, I wouldn’t be mad if you said no. I probably wouldn’t date me either.” She gave an awkward laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper grinned. “Me too. But I’m not saying no to you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel frowned. “Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Just… not now. I need some time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course. I can be patient.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them knew how long they sat there for - Pepper’s head resting on Noel’s shoulder, their hands linked - but it didn’t matter. They could stay there forever or at least until Tim came downstairs to get a glass of water. He looked slightly less tired and both Noel and Pepper were happy to see that. He’d done a lot to save them back there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two look adorable,” he smirked as he grabbed a glass from the cupboard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Dad!” Pepper blushed and quickly stood up. Noel followed suit. She was trying to hide her blush too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, I’m glad you two are okay. I can’t stop thinking about what would’ve happened if I hadn’t come home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper shivered. “Yeah, me neither.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim looked at them both with a warm smile. He didn't know what he'd do without either of them. Noel wasn't blood related, of course, but he still considered her family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I'm so happy you two are safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noel grinned. “Aw, you're such a sap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed. “I know. I was just so scared back there that something bad was gonna happen or even if it already had. I don't know what I would've done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we're okay now,” Pepper smiled. “There's no need to worry about us anymore, especially me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Pep,” Noel put an arm around her friend. “We’re never gonna stop worrying. It’s our jobs to at this point.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper rolled her eyes as her dad laughed. “Couldn’t have said it better myself, Noel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She understood, however, that Tim and Noel cared about her a lot so it was natural for them to worry. That didn’t mean she was completely helpless. She had helped earlier. Thinking back, she was sure that Adam would’ve hurt Noel if she hadn’t distracted him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought of that made her nauseous, but she put that to the back of her mind. She didn’t have to think about him anymore. There were better people in her life that truly cared about her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper smiled. She could never thank them enough. “I love you both. Thank you for everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim smiled, a tear forming at the corner of his eye. “Oh, stop it. You know I don’t like to cry.” He laughed gruffly and pulled his daughter into a hug. Noel watched on with a smile until Pepper let her join in too. She almost couldn’t believe it. Noel was right; it was all over now. She didn’t have to worry anymore. Maybe life could get better after all.</span>
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